Freedom tops San Ramon Valley, earns trip to NCS Division I title game

DANVILLE -- Elliott Smith and Kendall McIntosh each scored 20 points, and the visiting Freedom High boys basketball team used a decisive advantage at the foul line to earn a 71-62 win over host San Ramon Valley on Wednesday in the North Coast Section Division I semifinals.

Third-seeded Freedom (24-5) went to the line 37 times and made 25. The Falcons made 12 of 18 in the final quarter to keep the second-seeded Wolves (23-5) at bay.

Rodney Pope had 14 points, and McIntosh added 10 rebounds for Freedom, which will play Monte Vista in the championship game on Friday night at Saint Mary's College. Joe Mixon finished with seven points and eight rebounds for the Falcons.

Point guard Jerry Karczewski scored 22 points for San Ramon Valley but was hounded all night by Pope, Smith and Nick Evans. San Ramon Valley finished with 12 turnovers.

Austin Henderson made five 3-pointers for the Wolves and finished with 15 points. Henderson's long-distance shooting helped San Ramon Valley claw back from an 18-4 first-quarter deficit.

The Wolves trailed 42-41 early in the third quarter but suffered a six-minute scoreless streak. Freedom scored the final 11 points of the quarter to take a 53-41 lead.

The Wolves didn't get closer than six points the rest of the way. David Gunn finished with 12 points and seven rebounds for the Wolves.